Earth Language(EL) is a visual language created by Yoshiko McFarland (born 1941). Words are conveyed through a series of 90 symbols or hand gestures, it cannot be spoken. The author believes that traditional language alone inhibits communication while visual language is a fuller, more natural way to communicate. Earth Language is intended to be a universal form of communication. The basis of the language is "fundamental ideograms" which depict basic concepts. These fundamental ideograms are combined into "complex ideograms" to convey more complicated concepts. Earth Language strives to be as simple as possible. The conveyance of ideas takes priority to all other aspects of language such as politeness. The individual has a great deal of freedom with regard to syntax. The eleven "grammatical bases," symbols conveying different attributes of grammar, as well as the use of brackets, and the shape, order and spacing of the symbols shows all grammatical aspects.
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